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18 April - Ideas for celebrating

While each year there is a specific theme for the 18th April, each National Committee is free to choose a theme that is most relevant to highlight the heritage issues in their nation or region. Below are a number of general suggestions for nationally organized activities to mark this event:

Visits

Specific visits designed for School Children, Youth, Students and young professionals of the field, Experts, the General Public

to :

Monuments and Sites

Conservation works in progress

Completed projects

organized by the National Committee through its Scientific and Regional committees emphasizing local issues that require attention, support and/or promotion among the community, authorities and experts.

Spreading knowledge

Written: Articles in newspapers and magazines

Media: Television and radio broadcasts

Publicity: Hanging banners in town squares, principal traffic arteries, universities, related organizations, museums, cultural centers, libraries, cafeterias, calling attention to this day and to the preservation of cultural heritage through the reference of local and/or international examples.

Talks for Youth, Students and young professionals of the field, Experts, the General Public

Events

Inviting local or foreign experts, personalities academics, students and the community.

Organizing discussions in cultural centers, city halls, and other public spaces

Awarding prizes to organizations or persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage or produced an excellent publication on the subject.

Inaugurate a recently restored monument or rehabilitated site.

Promotion of “twinning” opportunities between various National Committees, defining areas for co-operation; exchange of speakers; organization of meetings and seminars, or the editing of joint publications.

The international Scientific Committee could be invited to debate around the chosen theme.

The essential aspect is to mark this day so that it becomes not only a day to celebrate your National Heritage, but also a day of International Solidarity in favor of strengthening and safeguarding Heritage world-wide.

18 April - History

On 18 April 1982, on the occasion of a symposium organized by ICOMOS Tunisia and a corresponding meeting of the Bureau in Hammamet, it was suggested that a day be established to celebrate the diversity of heritage throughout the world. From this idea, the International Day for Monuments and Sites was born. This project was approved by the Executive Committee who also provided practical suggestions to the National Committees on how to organize this day.

The UNESCO General Conference adopted the concept by passing a resolution at its 22nd session in November 1983 recommending that Member States examine the possibility of declaring 18 April each year “International Monuments and Sites Day”.

While many countries and regions have established heritage days, such as the European Heritage Days celebrated each year in September, the International Day for Monuments and Sites presents an opportunity for all ICOMOS National Committees to advocate their shared cause together on the same day.

At the revival of this day in 2001, ICOMOS President Michael Petzet and the Executive Committee proposed that the 18th of April be used by all Committees to draw attention to a particularly endangered type of cultural heritage in conjunction with the annual Heritage at Risk report. Every year a growing number of ICOMOS National Committees all over the world are holding special events on the 18th April.